Boat owners batten down hatches ahead of storm

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) – With high winds and rough seas expected throughout the week, boat owners across Rhode Island and Massachusetts are taking extra precautions.

Some boat owners aren’t taking any chances, instead choosing to completely remove their boats from the water. Monday in Portsmouth, Jim Rogas, a native of Camden, Maine, said he lives on his boat on the Westport River during the summer, but decided to take it out just in case. Still, he said it wouldn’t be that nerve-wracking: “In 40-to-50 mile an hour winds, not so much. It’s like a nor’easter. But it’s better to be out of the water, I think, than in the water.”

Experts advise adding extra ropes and knots to lines to ensure boats do not come loose or hit into each other during the storm.

Emergency management officials urge boat owners to take precautions early, as conditions on boats, even those in harbor, will be unsafe once the storm hits.